


Maybe Just a Speck

by Majikthise



Category: Supernatural
Genre: 2014 verse, 2014!Cas, 2014!Dean, Angst, End Verse, Furtue Cas, Future Dean, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-16
Updated: 2013-07-06
Packaged: 2017-12-15 03:11:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/844621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Majikthise/pseuds/Majikthise
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>10 months after the angels left and 6 months before anyone developed a cohesive system for tracking Croats ; Dean was bitten.</p><p>This is set before the episode "The End", but in that same universe.  This is my attempt at fleshing out what exactly happens when the other angels leave and Cas and Dean's downward spiral.  This is pre-slash of Dean and Cas at the moment and will become slash in later chapters</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Characters, show, everything is not mine. Not even the Enochian, which I have translated at the end. I do not make a monetary profit. Please review, criticize, flame, whatever! It's all good.

10 months after the angels left and 6 months before anyone developed a cohesive system for tracking Croats ; Dean was bitten. Their small party of three was ambushed by ten or so Croats. It was supposed to have been a simple supply run. Cas and Dean had taken Jacob along with them to a derelict convenience store next to a gas station. Jacob was a scruffy fourteen year-old red-headed orphan and the newest member to Camp Chitaqua. This mission was more about easing him into the lifestyle than it was about supplies.

Abandoned places have a certain atmosphere similar to being deep in the woods after a snowfall. But instead of snow, dust blankets the surroundings, hanging suspended in thick air. Spending much of his life breaking into or out of derelict places Dean noticed the change before the others, a shift in the air signifying an intruder. And they only ran into one type of intruder nowadays.

He yelled to Cas, who was in the midst of gathering canned goods, to cover Jacob. Jacob for his part did not waver. Pulling out his gun out he got the first Croat in the shoulder. The arterial spray shot over a few aisles as the creature crumpled to the ground. It hadn’t taken Cas long after the angels left to become an excellent shot. His reflexes, accuracy, speed were all slightly above a normal human’s. Only two more Croats sprang forward, quickly receiving the same treatment from Cas.

Just as they were starting to think that the attack may be over, he heard a shout. _Dean._ He ran to the next aisle. Dean had just shot the man in front of him, but a wiry teenager had climbed across the aisle dividers and grabbed Dean from above, burying his teeth in Dean’s neck. Cas didn’t hesitate and shot it through the back left shoulder hitting the heart.

Dean pushed the creature and it fell from the shelves scattering bottles of Cokes and Pepsis. “Good shot.” croaked Dean, his hand immediately going to his neck to staunch the bloodflow. The thing hadn’t bit through his jugular, but it didn’t matter. Dean was infected.

Castiel’s eyes widened in disbelief. He began approaching Dean, who immediately backed away and into the shelf crushing bags of chips against his back. “Cas! Stay back!” Dean’s voice wavered slightly. “You know what happens next. What needs to be done.”

Cas looked down at the sawed-off in his hands like it might bite him. He threw it aside, “No.” he whispered.

“Cas, come on. You aren’t doing me any favors. You have to kill me now or I’ll kill all of you.” Dean’s face was now white from loss of blood.

“No.” Castiel growled.

Jacob watched the exchange between the two men, mouth agape. Cas always called Dean “fearless leader” and Jacob believed it. Dean had risked his life to save him back when Jacob was just some kid that Dean hadn’t even known. Jacob would have been torn apart by Croats had Dean not interfered and the expression he wore then was the same one Jake saw now: deadly calm. But by the same token Jake had come to believe that Dean was invincible. He had seen Dean go into a hopeless situation time and time again guns ablaze and watch him come back triumphant. Watching Dean struggle to remain standing, one hand damming the flow of blood from the crook of his neck made Jacob fear for his own survival rate more than ever before.

“Fine, then I’ll just have to take care of it myself.” Dean grunted. His free hand went to the waistband of his jeans in order to retrieve his hand gun. But before he reached it, Cas was grabbing his arm back and tossing the gun out of reach just as he had done with his own. “What the hell, Cas!” Dean shouted spit flecked with blood hitting Cas’s face. Cas didn’t flinch or move away, but kept Dean pinned more or less against the supermarket aisle filled with what Dean had once called “road food”.

“I am not letting you die, Dean.”

Dean’s expression softened, “You can’t make that call anymore, buddy.”

Cas’s look of determination did not falter with Dean’s words, slowly he replaced the hand Dean was using to lessen the flow of blood with his own. Then shut his eyes and began to chant.

“NANAEEL. BIEN. ARGEDCO NANAEEL. CARMA NANAEEL. DARBS. DARBS. BLANS BALIT OLLOR. ALLAR BALIT OLLOR. GOHOLOR BALIT OLLOR.”

Cas continued repeating the Enochian over and over, but nothing happened.

Dean had thought that he was in a lot of pain, but watching Cas’s desperation in trying to save him, knowing he wouldn’t be able hurt so much worse. A minute passed then another, Cas was rapidly sounding more and more frantic. Dean knew the signs and could already feel the start of Croatoan virus taking hold. It was like a burning itch that one can never reached. He only had five or so minutes before it consumed him entirely.

Dean spoke interrupting Cas, but his words were gentle, “Cas, you don’t have the mojo anymore to do this. It’s okay. Really. But you’re gonna have to let me go before I turn and attack you and that kid over there.” He pointed at Jacob, who despite being utterly confused at what Cas had been doing knew enough to know it wasn’t working. Tears were making clean tracks down his otherwise dirt-streaked face.

Cas didn’t respond at first, but fixed Dean with a look that made him shiver. It was the kind of look that Dean had not so long ago jokingly referred to as his “smitey face”. Well, it wasn’t funny now.

“I am an angel of the Lord. I am a soldier of Heaven. I have fought and I have died to keep humanity safe, to keep _you_ safe. I am not letting you die on me! Not while I'm alive.” He spoke with such conviction that Dean could almost believe him. Cas then went back to chanting, louder and more impassioned than before.

“OTHILRIT YOLCAM NANAEEL! VAVLZIRN MALPIRGI BALIT OLLOR! OZIEN TURBS! OZIEN MONONS! OZIEN GER!”

During the chant he kept tightening his grip on Dean’s neck and just when Dean was about to cry out in agony something stopped him. He felt the wound tingle, just like it did when Cas healed him, albeit this felt like an extremely watered-down version. Cas began chanting with renewed vigor. As the tingling progressed over the wound, Dean saw blood starting to drip from Cas’s nose and ears.

“Cas! Stop it! You’re bleeding!” Dean shouted, but Cas continued. Dean could feel his body slowly being mended. He could actually feel the skin regrowing and reweaving itself back together piece by piece. The pain was enough to make any normal man black out. Suddenly Cas’s hand grew hot, which rang an alarm in Dean’s mind. He had had the opportunity to be healed by Cas enough to know that Cas’s hand always remained cool and only where he touched Dean grew warm.

A high-pitched whine could be heard slowly growing louder and louder. Dean had heard it before, the first time was shortly after escaping Hell. It was the angel’s true voice. But it wasn’t coming from Cas, because he flinched just as much as Dean when he heard it, but never faltered in his chanting.

Jacob was in the same spot, but huddled down his hands clamped over his ears looking like he was about to piss himself. Dean looked back to Cas whose breathing was labored, sweating profusely, and his entire body was flushed. Dean could even see Cas’s blistered red skin was through his thin linen shirt. While the angelic voice only grew louder, Cas’s vessel’s voice was sounding more and more hoarse even for Cas. By sheer will he was still able to repeatedly force out two words.

“OZIEN GER! OZIEN GER!”

But his voice was clearly reaching its breaking point.

For the first time that day, Dean felt truly scared, “Cas! Jesus Christ, stop it! You’re going to fry yourself! Stop damnit!!” Dean used all his remaining energy to shove Cas away, but remarkably he did not even budge. It was as useless as trying to push the Chrysler building. “Cas! You gotta stop this, man! Please!” Dean shouted desperately still trying to push Cas away. Cas only increased his chanting. His right hand pressing Dean’s neck, while his left hand was pressed over his own ear. Suddenly the vessel’s voice and the angelic voice went silent. Cas swayed for moment and Dean thought he might collapse. Although, Dean’s neck was now completely healed the virus was still there. Scratching its way through Dean’s veins. Dean wasn’t sure how to break it to Cas when suddenly Castiel’s eyes opened and pure white light shot out and behind him his wings unfurled into their semi-corporeal state of shadow-like ash. Dean’s mouth dropped.

Cas moved his hand from Dean’s lower neck to his cheek, cupping it gently and without another word angelic or otherwise removed the Croatoan virus and healed Dean’s body. In a few short seconds Dean felt absolutely amazing like he did every time Cas had healed him. Dean put his hand over Cas’s, moving his thumb over the blazing hot skin in an attempt to convey some of his depthless gratitude.

As quick as they had come, the white light and wings vanished. Cas’s eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed backward onto the cool tile floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes the Enochian is real!! I had WAY too much fun finding it and putting it together. First I need to start by citing my sources.  
> These were the websites I used:  
> http://www.angelfire.com/empire/serpentis666/Letters.html  
> http://www.occult100.com/bos/enochian.txt  
> http://freepages.misc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cgb143/eng_conc_ijklm.html
> 
> And special thanks to this rabid fan, monicawoe whose livejournal was my first stop on figuring out whether the Enochian they use on the show was real or not. I recommend checking out this link as it has her translation of the Enochian used in the show!  
> http://monicawoe.livejournal.com/107878.html
> 
>  
> 
> Castiel's first use of Enochian in my story:  
> NANAEEL. BIEN. ARGEDCO NANAEEL. CARMA NANAEEL. DARBS. DARBS. BLANS BALIT OLLOR. ALLAR BALIT OLLOR. GOHOLOR BALIT OLLOR.
> 
> Roughly Translated: My Grace (exact translation is My Power). I invoke my Grace. My True Voice. Come out my Grace. Obey. Obey. Protect the righteous man. Bind up the righteous man. Lift up the righteous man. 
> 
> Castiel's second use of Enochian:  
> I like this because Castiel's supreme fear and need to save Dean causes him to drop the authoritative sounding words and go for how he feels. A totally human thing for him to do and ironically it works to bring him back to full power if only for long enough to heal Dean. 
> 
> OTHILRIT YOLCAM NANAEEL! VAVLZIRN MALPIRGI BLANS BALIT OLLOR! OZIEN TURBS! OZIEN MONONS! OZIEN GER!
> 
> Roughly Translated: O, you servants of mercy bring forth my grace! Work the wonders in increasing the fires of life! Protect the righteous man! My beauty! My heart! My love!
> 
> Yes, that is Cas calling Dean my beauty, heart, and love. And I don't mean like some sappy greeting card here. This isn't just to meaning love like human love but more like "profound bond" love.
> 
> Castiel’s third use of Enochian:  
> OZIEN GER! OZIEN GER!
> 
> Roughly Translated: My love! My love!


	2. Chapter 2

Seeing Cas hit the floor was all Dean needed to snap him out of his trance. He was kneeling next to Cas in a wingbeat, checking his pulse. It was there and racing. But what had Dean more concerned was Cas’s skin. It was dark red, superheated to the touch, and he could just make out faint loops and swirls of upraised flesh covering his chest and arms. Almost as if someone had burned designs onto his flesh. Not one to dwell too long on the details in the midst of a crisis, Dean jumped up and headed to the front of the store. His feet crunching with every step on glass from the windows, plastic from the lights, and exploded foodstuffs.

Jacob huddled forgotten till Dean tripped, practically sending himself sprawling. “Shit!” Dean exclaimed as he regained his balance. He looked down at Jacob, crouched in a pile of debris and what looked like urine. “Hey, kid. You still with me?” Dean asked as gently as he could, although it still came out sounding more like an order.

At Dean’s words, Jacob uncovered his face his gaze going immediately to Cas. His eyes were wild and constantly shifting, while his ears were still dripping blood. He nodded numbly. 

“Good. Get the med kit out of van. I have pack Cas in ice to cool him down.” Dean had almost reached the refrigerator housing the ice, before he noticed Jacob hadn’t moved and was still staring blankly in Cas’s general direction. Dean rubbed his face with his hands.

“JAKE!” Dean barked as loudly and authoritatively as he could muster. Jacob visibly startled. “MED KIT. VAN. NOW. THAT’S AN ORDER!”

Jacob pointed a shaking finger at Cas. “Wha-what. Did he- Is he? What is he?” he stammered.

“Well, right now he’s burning up and we have to help him. So we need to pack him in ice. Now. Okay?” Jacob nodded again, this time his eyes finally finding focus on Dean. 

“Yes, sir!” he replied as he stood. Castiel had been there the day Dean saved him, fighting by his side. And even though Jacob had no idea what was going on other than he missed his mom and dad really bad, the word “help” allowed Jacob to prioritize the catastrophe in front of him. The top of that list was saving Cas. Cas had helped save him and if he could do anything to save Cas, he would.

When Jacob came back he found that Dean had laid out the ice bags next to Cas, about Cas’s length and width. “Grab his feet.” Dean ordered and together they shifted Cas onto the bed of ice. Dean swore he heard sizzling the moment the ice came in contact with Cas’s scorched skin. 

“More ice.” Jacob ran back to the refrigerator. Eventually bringing Dean everything, all the ice, frozen peas, cartons of milk, even the blocks of cheese. Dean was almost replacing the bags of ice faster than Jacob could bring them; everything was melting too quickly. 

He applied the little amount of burn cream they had as gingerly as he could. It was difficult, Cas’s skin was starting to blister. Nothing else in the med kit was much use. Dean couldn’t bring himself to use the ear thermometer. He couldn’t see how knowing Cas’s temperature would do anything other more than upset him. “Find whatever first aid supplies they have!” 

Jacob returned with a couple boxes cheap adhesive bandage strips, shrugging apologetically. “I couldn’t find nothing else. I’m sorry, sir.”

“What kind of store doesn’t sell any real first aid!?” Dean groused making a mental note to make sure they always had an abundance of burn cream next time. 

Dean felt Cas’s forehead and while you could still fry an egg on it, his temperature was definitely lower. Dean looked around slightly hopelessly. He was surrounded by bags of warm water and thawed food. Cas, himself, lay resting on nice water bed. “We need more ice.” Dean said, more to himself than to anyone. Actually the list of things they needed was growing longer by the minute. Dean looked around paying attention to something other than Cas for the first time in a good twenty minutes. The angelic voice had really taken its toll. The windows were blown to Hell, leaving them no protection. 

"We better get moving back to camp." 

Jacob went to grab Cas's legs again, but before he could Dean picked up Cas and began carrying him bride-style towards the van. It wasn't difficult, besides Cas being underweight, Dean still felt pretty jazzed from his angelic intervention. Jacob ran ahead and opened the side door. Dean lay Cas in the backseat. He frowned looking at the way Cas sprawled out, head lolling to the side, so he climbed in the back with him. 

Tossing the keys to Jacob, "Can you drive?"

Jacob smiled, "Been driving a tractor since I was 8."

Dean nodded, Cas's head cradled in his lap.


End file.
